Safety discharge device for valves



y 25, 1950 J. H. sTRooP 2,516,159

SAFETY DISCHARGE DEVICE FOR VALVES Original Filed Jan. 31, 1947 Patented July 25, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SAFETY DISCHARGE DEVICE 'FOR VALVES John H. Stro'op, New York, N. Y., ass ignor to Specialties Development Corporation, Belleville, N. J., a corporat-ionof New Jersey Original application January 31,1947, Serial No.

725,66Q. Divided 831411 this application March 10,1949, Serial N0. 80,654

5 Claims. 1

Thepresent invention relates to valves for controlling -the discharge of fluid medium stored under pressure, such as compressed or liquefied gas. l

More particularly, the present invention aims to provide a valve of the foregoing type which is constructed of'a minimum number of simple parts, islight in weight and is compact in design, can be manufactured with a minimum of operations readily performed by machines, can be rapidly assembled and secured to containers or conduits by unskilled labor, and has other advantageous features.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a valve wherein discharge through the main discharge outlet is prevented in the event the medium is released due to excessive pressure thereof.

Another object is to provide such a valve wherein a combined main valve seat and safety disc are utilized.

A further object is to provide such a valve wherein a portion of the combined main valve seat and safety disc and the main valve member cooperate to prevent discharge of the medium through the main discharge outlet upon bursting of the disc due to excessive .pressure.

Other and further objects of the invention will be obvious upon an understanding of the illustrative-embodiment about to be described, or will be indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages not referred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon. employment of the invention in practice. 7

A preferred embodiment of the invention has been chosen for. purpose of illustration and description, and is shown in the accompanying drawing, forming a part of the specification, wherein:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional View taken axially through a valve embodying the present invention, shown applied to a container for storing fluid medium under pressure.

Figure 2 is a sectional View taken along the line 2--2 on Figure 1, illustrating a detail of the 2 I!) having an exteriors threaded outlet r nipple portion H, an annular sealing zone l2 at the free end of the outlet, and an annular shoulder M at the interior of the outlet. A syphon tube i5 is positioned in the container having a flange I6 seated on the shoulder 14, which flange is formed with a plurality oi circumferentially spaced inwardly extendingprojections I! (Figure 2), the function of which will be described hereinafter.

A valve i8 is secured to the container I0, comprising a valve body I 9 having an axial bore provided with a threaded zone at the lower portion thereof for cooperation with the threaded outlet II, a downwardly facing annular internal shoulder 2| above the zone 20, a piston cylinder "por'ti n'ZZ at theup'p'er portion of the valve body extending from the shoulder 2| to a Wall 2 1 c'losging the upper end of thebo're, and formed with a central aperture wherein a gasket '23 is positioned.

The lower 'exte'ri'or portion of the valve body has a pair of opposite substantially flat parallel walls "26 and a pair of opposite substantially arcu'a'te walls 27 (Figure 2) ,"the wallszfi and?! extending from the lower end of the valve body to an external shoulder 28 positioned in a plane "slightly abovethe internal shoulder 21.

"The upper exterior portion 2'9 of the'val've body is substantially cylind'ric'aljand is provided with a pair of radially extending opposed main outlets or discharge'p'orts 30 in fluid flow communication with the cylinder portion 22 of the bore of the valve body, an annular groove '3! abovethe ports 33 and another annular groove 32 below the ports 30, the grooves (Hand 32 havingannuiar gaskets 3f! positio'nedqtherein. A third annular groove 35 is pr'ovidedbetween the groove '3] and the upper edge of the valve body. Preferably, the ports 30 are above and in vertical alignmeat with the hat walls 26 of the valve body. 1

At the iht'erior of the valve there is provided 'a combined valve seat and safety disc 36 (Figure "3) such as shown-and described in my copendi ng application, Serial No. 667,902, filed May'l, 1946. The disc 36 comprises an annular member having a central aperture or main valve port 3l, a downwardly facing main valve seat 39 surrounding the aperture 31, and a'marginal portion 43 which is secured between the sealing zone l2 and the shoulder H to seal the container, and a weakened annular zone ll between the marginal portion 10 and the valve seat 39 for facilitating rupture of the disc resulting 'ininner'and outer annular sections (Figure 4 I A main valve member 42 formed of a suitable material is adapted to be urged against the valve seat 39 due to the pressure of the medium in the container and has an axial bore or passage 44 formed with a pilot valve seat 45at the lower end thereof.

A main valve stem 46, in the form of a tubular member, has its lower end threaded in the main valve member in fluid flow communication with the passage 44 and has its upper end flared outwardly to form a piston 41 disposed in the cylinder 22. The valve stem 46 may be formed from a thin metallic tube having its lower end threaded and its upper end expanded. As will be noted,

the upper end 01'' the piston is spaced slightly from the underside of the end wall 24, the purpose of which will become apparent hereinafter.

A pilot valve member 49 is adapted to be urged against the seat 45 due to the pressure of the medium in the container and has a stem 50 ex.- tending through the passage 44 of the main valve member 42, the main valve stem 46, the gasket 23 and the aperture 25 to the exterior of the valve body.

A cylindrical coupling ring 5! surrounds the cylindrical upper portion 29 of the valve body in sealing relation with the gaskets 34 and has its lower edge supported on the shoulder 28 and has its upper edge disposed slightly below the groove 35. In order to conduct the pressure medium discharged through the, valve to apoint of use, the ring has a nipple 52 provided with an outlet or passage 54 therein, in registry with one of the ports 30 and adapted to receive one end of a hose or conduit 55 which is secured to the nipple by a tubular extension 56 spaced from and surrounding the nipple 52 herein shown as being integral with the ring 5|.

A laterally extending carrying handle 51 is connected to the coupling ring by means of a band portion 59 secured about the tubular sec tion 56. The lower side of the band portion 59 has a straight edge positioned to cooperate with one of the flat walls 26 of the valve body I9 whereby the passage 54 is placed in alignment with one of the ports 30.

The coupling ring 5| is secured to the valve body by a split ring 60 adapted to be snapped into the groove 35 and overlie the upper edge of the coupling ring. If desired a push button 6| may be provided for moving the pilot valve stem downwardly to effect operation of the valve. This push button is carried by the split ring 66 and is connected thereto by a resilient U-shaped strip 62.

While the invention has been described in connection with a valve for a portable container, it will be appreciated that valves embodying the present invention may be used on containers of fixed systems or the like and for pipes or con,- duits for conducting fluid medium under pressure. It will also be understood that pilot valve stem operating means other than the push button 6| may be employed, including means for controlling operation of the valve from a remote location.

Referring to Figures 3 and 4,.more particularly, there is shown means for preventing discharge by way of the main outlet ports 36 in the event the safety disc 36 bursts due to excessive pressure of the medium at the source. .I'o accomplish this, the valve body is provided with one or more safety outlets 64 just above the shoulder 2| which extend radially from the lower portion of the cylinder 22 to the atmosphere, and an 4 annular inwardly extending shoulder above the outlet 64. An annular sealing ring 66 is supported on the inner portion of the disc 36 and may be held in position by an annular rib 61 on the disc 36 to close the outlet 64 and prevent the entry of dirt or foreign substance into the valve.

As shown in Figure 4, when the disc 36 bursts, the inner portion which has been broken away from the marginal portion 40 secured between the sealing zone l2 and the shoulder 2| is moved upwardly by the main valve member, whereby the sealing ring 66 is carried upwardly and is urged against the shoulder 65. Since the shoulder limits the upward movement of the ring 66, the broken away portion of the disc is forced against the ring to form a pressuretight seal adjacent the shoulder 65 to prevent the medium from flowing into the upper part of the valve body where the outlet ports are located. When the ring 66 is carried upwardly, the outlet 64 is uncovered permitting the pressure medium to be discharged to the atmosphere by way of the safety outlet 64.

By reason of the piston 41 of the main valve stem 46 being normally spaced from the end wall 24, the broken away portion of the disc and the main and pilot valve assembly are adapted to move upwardly to enable the sealing ring to be forced against the shoulder.

In order to operate the valve illustrated herein, the pilot valve stem 56 is moved downwardly to unseat the pilot valve member 49 and pressure medium passes through the passage 44 and the main valve stem 46 to the upper end of the cylinder 22 and is expanded against the working side of the piston 41 to move the piston downwardly and effect unseating of the main valve member 42. When the latter is unseated, the medium in the container is conducted through the valve to the main outlet port in registry with the outlet 54 to which the hose is attached. Downward movement of the main valve member is limited by the projections 11 on the syphon tube which serve as stops and prevent the valve member from closing the syphon tube opening.

In the event the valve is assembled on a container of fluid medium under pressure before the coupling ring 51 is attached and the valve is operated accidentally, the medium will be discharged through the two radially extending opposed ports 30 which serve to prevent recoil of the container. Likewise, by providing two opposed safety discharge outlets 64, recoil is prevented upon safety discharge.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that the present invention provides a practical valve for dispensing fluid medium under pressure. The parts of the valve are extremely simple in construction and can be readily manufactured at a low cost by automatic or semiautomatic machines. The valve is readily assembled as a unit comprising the valve body, the seal and safety disc, and the main and pilot valve assembly, and this unit can be readily handled and applied to a container or conduit. The

coupling ring, hose and handle assembled can be thereafter mounted on the valve body in a convenient manner.

As various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts herein, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and without sacrificing any of its advantages, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in any limiting sense.

This application is a division of my co-pending application Serial No. 725,660, filed January 31, 1947.

I claim:

1. In a valve, the combination of a valve body having an inlet, a discharge outlet and a safety outlet between said discharge outlet and said inlet, means positioned between said inlet and said safety outlet having a valve port and being displaceable when subjected to a predetermined pressure to establish fluid flow communication between said inlet and said safety outlet, and a valve member normally closing said valve port.

2. In a valve, the combination of a valve body having an inlet, a discharge outlet and a safety outlet between said discharge outlet and said inlet, means positioned between said inlet and safety outlet having a valve port and being displaceable when subjected to a predetermined pressure to establish fluid flow communication between said inlet and said safety outlet, a valve member for said valve port, and means for preventing fluid fiow communication between said inlet and said discharge outlet upon displacement of said displaceable means.

3. In a valve, the combination of a valve body having an inlet, a discharge outlet and a safety outlet between said discharge outlet and said inlet, means positioned between said inlet and safety outlet having a valve port and being displaceable when subjected to a predetermined pressure to establish fluid flow communication between said inlet and said safety outlet, a valve member for said valve port, and means for forming a seal between said displaceable means and said valve body at a point intermediate said safety outlet and said discharge outlet.

4. In a valve, the combination of a valve body having an inlet, a discharge outlet and a, safety outlet between said discharge outlet and said inlet, an annular member positioned between said inlet and safety outlet having a valve port and an annular weakened zone defining an annular portion of said member being displaceable when subjected to a predetermined pressure thereby to establish fluid flow communication between said inlet and said safety outlet, a valve member for said valve port, and a sealing ring adapted to cooperate with said displaceable portion of said member for preventing fluid flow communication between said inlet and said discharge outlet upon displacement of said displaceable portion,

5. In a valve, the combination of a valve body having an inlet, a discharge outlet, a, safety outlet between said discharge outlet and said inlet and an annular shoulder between said discharge outlet and said safety outlet facing said inlet, an annular member positioned between said inlet and safety outlet having a valve port and an annular weakened zone defining an annular portion of said member which is displaceable when subjected to a predetermined pressure thereby to establish fluid flow communication between said inlet and said safety outlet, a valve member for said valve port, and a sealing ring between said annular member and said shoulder positioned to normally close said safety outlet, said ring being adapted to cooperate with said displaceable portion of said annular member and said shoulder for preventing fluid flow communication between said inlet and said discharge outlet upon displacement of said displaceable annular portion, said ring being displaceable to unclose said safety outlet upon displacement of said displaceable annular portion.

JOHN H. STROOP.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,003,848 Wood Sept. 19, 1911 2,226,732 McBride Dec. 31, 1940 2,239,169 Franck Apr. 22, 1941 2,410,125 Niles Oct. 29, 1946 

